Beth Celestin

6 Things to Do with Your Kids on Solar Eclipse Day!

2017-08-16T08:01:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard, on Monday, August 21, 2017 we will be experiencing the first total solar eclipse in the continental U.S. in 38 years! This would be the perfect time to do a few fun activities to teach your kiddos a little about astronomy. The boys and I plan to go to a viewing party at our local University. We also plan to do a few other fun activities to learn about and prepare for the eclipse. Below are 6 simple ways you can make the most of the solar eclipse with your kiddos to!

Happy (and SAFE) viewing!

1. Explore what the Bible says about astronomy.

2. Download a Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer guide to learn more about eclipses.

3. Watch YouTube videos about Solar Eclipses here and here.

4. Create a Cereal Box Eclipse Viewer

5. Eat Moon Pies & Sun Ships for snacks.

6. Make paper eclipse art or paper plate craft.

Love,

Beth

No Regrets Motherhood

2017-05-13T10:14:00.001-05:00

"You won't look back with any regrets."

My husband's words came across with such a gentle and comforting tone. He knows me well enough to know when my soul is unsettled.

Sometimes I lose my focus. Sometimes I forget the purposes to which God had called me. I begin to look around at what seems like a "better, easier life." I get so caught up in the daily grind of motherhood that I feel the overwhelming desire to jump ship and change the entire course that has been set before me.

"You won't look back with any regrets," he said. "You will never regret the choice to be home with our children, nurturing them and educating them. You won't look back and wish you would have done anything differently. This is a short season. Don't give up."

I don't know how I got so blessed in the husband department, but those were exactly the words I needed to hear that day and everyday since then. He never offered me the easy way out. He offered me the encouragement I needed to continue. With no regrets.

"For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" ~1 Corinthians 4:10 (NLT)

Fellow mamas, as Mother's Day approaches, remember our true encouragement does not come from the pacifying words of others that will momentarily appease our ever-changing emotions. Our encouragement comes from gentle, gospel-based truths rooted in a Biblical worldview with the end goal of glorifying Christ in all things.

So, if you're looking around with waves tossing around you, ready to jump ship don't.

You won't regret it.

Love,

Beth

Liam Turns 6!

2017-05-09T20:45:00.001-05:00

I was out of town for most of Liam's actual birthday this year, but he had a wonderful celebration with his Maw Maw Joan, Auntie Sherma, and his cousins. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but I got some sweet videos of his cousins singing him Happy Birthday and his really cool Batman cake! Thanks to Maw Maw Joan AND Auntie Sherma for making his day special.

The following day we celebrated with the other side of the family. Mimi bought Liam an ice cream cake, per his request. Liam indulged in some boiled seafood and swam his little heart out at Aunt Faith and Uncle Henry's pool. Thanks, Mimi, Pop Joe, Aunt Faith and Uncle Henry for making Liam's birthday wishes come true!

The Final Stretch of our Homeschool Year {What Worked & What Didn't}

2017-05-01T13:43:00.000-05:00

When May rolls around each year, I begin to see the light at the end of the homeschooling tunnel. Although we still have a few weeks of schooling left for the year, I'm already reflecting on our year and beginning to make decisions that will guide us into next year. Because I consider my kids' formal schooling a natural outflow of our lives, our homeschool is very fluid. It is constantly changing to meet the needs of the season that we are in. This year has had it's ups and downs as usual, but overall I am very pleased with the progress we have made and where we are headed.

morning memory work at the kitchen table

One of the successes of our homeschool year was being a part of a local Classical Conversations community again. This was our second year in CC, but we had sat out for 2 years due to a pregnancy and then a newborn baby. As I began to plan last year, I knew I needed to add in a more constant stream of accountability and peer support into our homeschool. I also knew that CC lined up with many of the educational goals I had for my boys. So we jumped right in and had another great experience. I stepped into the role of tutor for a class of 4-6 yr. olds, which helped me to understand more of the ins and outs of the program. More than anything, resting in the classical model has taken so much anxiety out of our homeschool days. I am no longer pushing worksheets and trying to cover every possible subject every single day. My focus is memory work, reading, writing, and math. I know now more than ever that having a firm foundation in these subjects is key to what's down the road.

Liam giving a presentation on beyblades at our local CC community

Other things that worked this year:

A Beka phonics, handwriting, & math

ABeka has been a tried and true curriculum for us since Silas was in prek-4. We have had great success with their phonics program for reading, their cursive writing curriculum, and their math curriculum. My boys did their fair share of worksheets, but not nearly as many as the curriculum recommended. We skipped all of the busy work and kept moving forward as the boys were able.

xtramath.com

Somewhere mid-year math was becoming a huge frustration for Silas. He knew how to do the work, but it was taking him much longer than it should have. I quickly realized that he hadn't fully mastered his math facts and that we needed to drill lots more than we had been. I found xtramath.com, and it has been a huge help and timesaver for me. Basically I can delegate the drilling to "Mr. C," who drills and keeps track of Silas' progress for me. And it's free! Seeing his progress charts motivates Silas to continue working hard. It's definitely a win for us.

Copywork

The biggest way we have streamlined our homeschool year is through copywork. If you're not familiar with copywork, it's basically the practice of copying well-written sentences from a variety of different sources (literature, poetry, Scripture, etc.) for the purpose of practicing handwriting, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Silas began copywork about mid-year. I had him start copying a 2nd grade reading book. His goal was to copy (in cursive) a few sentences a day straight from the book, including proper capitalization, punctuation, word spacing, and spelling. After he completed his sentences, we would go over his handwriting, capitalization and punctuation rules, and then pick a few spelling words to practice. The consistency of this simple work has proven highly successful. It helps us to knock out a variety of subjects all at once in a very natural way. It also models for him what proper sentences and well-written words look like.

One of my favorite homeschool reads this year

Things that didn't work:

Formal Spelling Curriculum

I had every intention of following a formal spelling curriculum for Silas this year, but we were never consistent with it. I took comfort in knowing that phonics was a natural springboard for spelling, and I knew Silas has a firm foundation in phonics, so I wasn't extremely concerned. And then copywork came along, and he was practicing spelling naturally, which was very helpful. My plan, however, is not to drop spelling altogether. While copywork reinforces spelling to a degree, there is nothing like good old fashioned daily drilling of spelling words. In these last few weeks of our school year, we will be drilling some commonly misspelled words, and hope to find something that we can be consistent with next year.

Following a detailed, time-based schedule

At the beginning of our homeschool year, I created a detailed, minute-by-minute time schedule of how I wanted our days to look. I was feeling highly motivated, and I let my idealistic spirit overshadow the reality of our daily lives-- the chaos, the messes, the meltdowns, the sicknesses, etc. My failure to put some margin into our days was a clear recipe for disaster. Add in the fact that I'm not a very scheduled person by nature, I felt like I was drowning only a few weeks in. So I sat back and took a good look at the basic rhythm of our days as well as the big picture goals I had for our homeschool. We ditched the time-based schedule, and chose a loop-style schedule instead. Basically we have a list of tasks to complete, and we work through them as the day allows. We don't focus on lesson numbers, but on actually understanding concepts. Our goal is to get through our list of subjects each day, of course, but if life gets in the way, we pick up where we left off the next day. So basically, there is no "first" subject of the day and "last" subject of the day. We follow our subjects in a circle and work at the pace that life allows.

Not waking up before the kids

Not only am I not a very scheduled person by nature, but I'm not a morning person either! I've had seasons where I was an early riser and seasons where I would wake up when the boys woke up. As of late, I've given in to the latter, and it has caused our mornings to be more chaotic that they should be. I am realizing more and more how critical it is to our mornings that I wake up before the boys to spend time in God's Word, clear my mind, and make preparations for the day. This is a discipline that I plan to work on in the coming months.

morning Bible study with Silas

So, we have about 6 weeks of schooling left before we end our year and take our summer break. I am praying through what next year will look like for us, carefully choosing curriculum that will move us toward our goals. But above all, I am praying that God will give me the wisdom to live a life worthy of the gospel in front of my children each day that I get to spend with them.

How is your homeschool year going? What would you do differently next year?

Love,

Beth

Wednesday

2017-04-26T14:42:00.001-05:00

When your big brother spills the morning cereal, you immediately get the broom and start sweeping #trainthemup

For anyone considering homeschooling, this may be what it looks like it you have a toddler around.

"I'm a lion, ok? Rooooooooooar!"

Hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday.

Love,

Beth

Our Weekend Getaway to Mississippi's Wolf Lake

2017-04-23T19:16:00.001-05:00

This weekend we headed out to Yazoo City, MS to spend some QT time with family. Our little cabin on Wolf Lake was the perfect spot to unwind and recharge. Here are a few pics from the trip, mostly of our boys. I love seeing them explore new territory and enjoy nature!

Love,

Beth

Some of Life in Black & White

2017-04-11T14:40:00.001-05:00

Family Friday at Lake End Park

2017-04-08T08:34:00.003-05:00

We enjoyed a beautiful day with friends at Lake End Park in Morgan City. This was the perfect little spot to hang out during this transition from Spring to Summer. It was breezy and cool outside, but the water was warm. The 3 little fish were in their happy place. And Mama enjoyed the cool breeze under the mossy trees.

Global Wildlife Center

2017-03-26T16:51:00.001-05:00

We re-visited the Global Wildlife Center this weekend!

Picture from Our First Trip
Pictures from Our Second Trip

Until next time!

Love,
Beth

Bringing Blogging Back

2017-03-20T16:07:00.000-05:00

Well friends, I've dusted off the 'ole blog and I've given it a bit of a face lift! And after much thought and consideration, I've decided to give it a go again. It's been almost 2 years since I've written here, and, obviously, lots has changed since then. At the time of my last post I was juggling a newborn baby and trying to get through 1st grade with my oldest. I was still dealing with some postpartum anxiety and overall just tying to figure out how to manage life as a mom of three littles. It some ways it feels like an eternity ago and in others ways it feels like only yesterday. I regret not documenting precious memories here over the past two years because each time I revisit the memories I've written about in the past it overwhelms me with such joy and gratitude. My written memories are such a precious reminder of God's faithfulness over the years. So here I am, making an effort to do more documenting and more though-processing in this space.

As I've mentioned, the past 2 years have brought about many changes for us, but the most important things have stayed the same. We continue to strive to honor God with the roles and responsibilities that He has given us and to fight for truth and holiness in a world of lies and darkness. And it is a fight. There is nothing easy about forsaking the passing pleasures of this world for the long-lasting rewards of consistent obedience to Christ. There is nothing easy about about daily dying to self and giving when it seems there's nothing left to give. But that's the call, and as best we can, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we fight for the glory of God. We fight for our marriage, for our children, and for community of believers that Christ has placed under our care.

As far as changes go, we followed God's call to a new church where Kevin continues to serve as pastor. That call included moving to a new house in a new community not far from where we lived previously. We have slowly settled in to our new normal and look forward to what lies ahead. We continue to homeschool our boys, currently in 2nd, K, and toddler-garten! We jumped back into a local Classical Conversations homeschool community this year, and it has been such a blessing to have the peer support and accountability I desperately need as a homeschool mama.

So, you can look forward to more regular posting here, some only in pictures, others in words. I hope you find encouragement here. As I've always said, my goal is not to paint a perfect picture, but to offer up some beauty and inspiration in the midst of our crazy, imperfect life.

Love,

Beth

Homeschooling with a Newborn {Our Experience with A Beka Streaming for Kindergarten}

2015-05-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

If I were going to be completely honest, homeschooling with a newborn was a lot harder than I anticipated. I had prepared to only take one month off of homeschooling after Ezra was born, but we wound up taking two months off. I tried to get back into the swing of things after one month, but Ezra was still very fussy, and I was still very fatigued and battling through postpartum anxiety. At first I felt guilty for taking such a long break, but then I remembered that one of the many reasons we homeschool is for the flexibility that it offers to us as a family. And in hindsight I am so thankful that we gave ourselves the break we needed to transition into life as a family of five. I am also thankful that Silas was home with us during that time and not heading off to school everyday. Having Silas home was a huge help to me and a great learning experience for him. I won't say that we didn't have our challenges, but overall, the good definitely outweighed the bad.

So when we were deciding on curriculum for the 2014-2015 school year, I knew that we needed something very structured that didn't require a lot of work on my part. We had been involved in Classical Conversations during Silas' pre-k4 year, and we really enjoyed it, but I knew it would be too challenging of a commitment for me with a new baby. I also knew that Kindergarten was not a grade that allowed for a lot of independent study. New concepts would be introduced in reading, math, and writing that required a lot of teacher/mommy involvement. Not knowing how much involvement I would be able to handle with a newborn baby, we began looking into curriculum that provided video or online teaching options.

I vividly recall taking this picture of Silas watching his video school while bouncing and swaying newborn baby Ezra who was screaming and wailing, as was his typical newborn behavior before we figured out his allergy situation. Meanwhile, Liam took it upon himself to fold my laundry- woohoo!

I did a little research, but quickly decided on A Beka Academy's Video Streaming program. I am very familiar with the curriculum, having used it as a homeschool student from 4th-12th grade. In fact, my siblings and I are all graduates of A Beka Academy, so I am quite acquainted with the quality of teaching and ease of use. With the A Beka Video program the parent is required to simply oversee the student's work-- the video teacher does all of the teaching.

One of our favorite places to do school work-- outside!

The funny thing about this this blog post is that had I written during the first half of our school year {pre-Ezra & the 2-month break}, I would have been much more critical in my review of the streaming program. See, we plowed through our first couple of weeks with the video streaming program and quickly decided that both Silas and I preferred when I did the teaching. We really enjoyed the curriculum {specifically the phonics, math, & writing}, but we were both used to a more relaxed type of schooling around the kitchen table where I did the teaching. So, I ordered the parent-led teacher's manual, and we stopped using the videos only two weeks in. I was still able to use all of the materials that came with the boxed curriculum, so it really wasn't that big of a deal financially. We were also able to double up lessons very easily with me teaching, which got us ahead in preparation for the postpartum break.

Legos always make math more fun!

The beginning of the year rolled around, Ezra's delivery finally came, and our one-month break turned into two. During that time Silas took much more of an interest in reading, so while our "formal schooling" was put on the back burner, we still enjoyed reading books and going over some of the phonics rules he had learned during the beginning half of the year.

We all enjoy storytime with Silas!

So around mid-March when we were finally ready to jump back into formal schooling, we started back with the parent-led curriculum. I had finally figured out a system to keep my materials organized for the week so that I didn't have to waste time pulling worksheets everyday. Things went ok, but there were still constant interruptions by Ezra who was still fussy, wasn't on any type of schedule, and only slept for 30 minutes at a time on a good day. I was becoming frustrated and so was Silas. One day in the middle of the chaos Silas asked to watch Mrs. Reese {his video teacher}. I was a bit surprised, but gladly accommodated.

This time around Silas adjusted very quickly to the video program and there has been much less complaining about it being boring. Silas only watches the phonics, math, and writing videos, and we do our own Bible time {at night with Kevin}, skills development, and extracurricular activities {art, field trips, etc.} at our leisure. Doing this has shortened the actual video time Silas watches while still providing the teaching time he needs.

As time has gone on, I have also warmed up to the video program by tweaking it and structuring it to meet our needs. In fact, I've warmed up so much to it that we've recently made the decision to use it again for first grade. We will likely do some parent-led schooling as well for history and science and for times when we want to move forward at a quicker pace. But I love having both the video and parent-led options available and having the flexibility to use different teaching methods during different seasons of life.

Having Silas using the video program has not only helped us to stay on a more consistent schedule, but it has also freed me up to spend some more intentional time schooling Liam. Liam began to show more of an interest in learning at the beginning of the year, so I knew I needed to take advantage of his enthusiasm. I've been using Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool with Liam, which is a free online homeschooling curriculum that uses videos, free printable pages, and simple hands-on activities. So far we've had a great experience with it. It has been just enough to keep Liam engaged without leading to frustration. I still haven't made a final decision about what we will do formally for pre-k4 with Liam in the Fall, but I'm leaning toward using A Beka for him as well.

Liam showing Silas his school work on the computer.

We plan to take a little bit of a summer break, but for the most part we will stick to our regular schooling schedule throughout the summer months. Our schooling time only lasts 1-2 hours each day at most, so it rarely interferes with any activities we have planned during the week.

Play dough is a great way to learn about the letter "B"

One thing I know from talking with other homeschool moms is that every family is different, and what works for one family may not work for another. I'm slowing figuring out what works for us, and a lot of that has been me letting go of some of my idealistic views of homeschooling and replacing them with a more realistic view of what truly meets our needs during this season.

Ezra's 4 Month Update

2015-05-11T16:03:00.000-05:00

My little Ezzy had his 4-month birthday a couple of weekends ago! I had intentions of typing up his 4-month update last week, but my poor baby came down with a virus and was keeping his Mama extra busy most of last week. Thankfully, he is feeling much better, and we are off to a much better start this week!

Ezzy & his brothers

In fact, Ezra was feeling well enough to go for a little swim with his Papa and his brothers early this afternoon. Our pool water is still a bit cool so it took him a little while to get used to it, but once he did he was happy and soaking it all in.

Aside from a good case of the fussies last week {from the virus, of course}, Ezra is typically a happy 4-month old who smiles very easily and loves to people watch {especially when it comes to watching his brothers}. He doesn't laugh for just anybody, but when someone familiar makes a sound or motion that really amuses him, he has a really great laugh on him. It's one of my favorite things to hear.

His favorite place is still in Mama's arms, but he does last a little longer on his play mat grabbing for his toys, rolling, and scooting. He is finally able to hold on to his toys with a better grip, and if he sees one that is out of his reach he is able to scoot his little body over to. He is pretty proficient at rolling from belly to back, but we still haven't gotten a back to belly roll. I'm really surprised considering the fact that he can scoot already, but I know it'll come in time.

He is still drooling like crazy and obsessed with having his hands {or someone else's hands} in his mouth. Looking back at Liam's baby journal, I noticed that Liam cut his first tooth at 4.5 months. I'm not sure if Ezzy will follow in his brother's footsteps, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he did! Something funny worth noting is that when the drool collects in the back of his throat he starts making a gargling sound. I like to repeat the sound back to him, which encourages him to keep going.

Speaking of hands in the mouth, Ezzy is my first baby to deny the pacifier in place of... HIS THUMB! And there is absolutely nothing I can do about it at this point. I know if this habit continues we will be in deep trouble in a couple of years, but to be completely honest it's actually much easier than constantly trying to keep a pacifier in his mouth at this point in the game!

Then there's the car sear. Oh, the dreaded car seat. Like his brother Silas, Ezra absolutely hates his car seat and will literally get so mad about us forcing him to sit in it that he turns bright red and foams at the mouth. It's pitiful, y'all. But all we can do is endure it until he outgrows it and try to keep our traveling adventures to a minimum. And when we do travel, it has to be a team effort!

While Ezra dreads the car seat, he's becoming much fonder of the bathtub. He recently took a bath with his brothers, which was extra fun.

Ezra is also the first of our children to make it past 4 months in the pack 'n play in our bedroom. I haven't had the energy to transition him into his crib yet, and honestly, until he's giving us longer stretches at night I'm not in a rush to do so. Sleep is of highest priority right now!

Other stats worth noting...

* He's wearing a size 2 diaper
* He's in 3-6 month or 6 month clothes
* He's eating about 5 ounces every 4 hours
* His bedtime is usually between 6 and 7 and he wakes up anywhere between 5 & 7:00 {with 1 or 2 feeds in between}

I'm a big fan of the book The Wonder Weeks, which guides you through 10 predictable fussy periods of babies. So when I started noticing that Ezra was becoming much more shy and sensitive around strangers, demanding much more attention than usual, very clingy toward mommy, and taking in less formula than usual {all these even before the virus hit last week}, I pulled my book out to discover that week 19 is a wonder week. So I'm expecting some more developmental changes are right around the corner. Knowing that all of these changes are normal have helped me to replace "what could turn into frustration" with an excitement at what's to come. Ezra and I have been snuggling a lot more and reading more books together these past couple of weeks. I'm soaking it all in because I know that pretty soon these activities won't come as easily.

Ezra brings so much joy to our family, and we are looking forward to another eventful month ahead-- which will include Ezra's first Celestin family vacation! Stay tuned for how that goes!

Happy 4 Months, Baby Boy!

Our Favorite Newborn Products {0-3 Months}

2015-05-05T18:49:00.000-05:00

I'm three babies into this parenting journey, so I figured it's high time that I type up a post featuring some of my favorite newborn products. Today I'm focusing in on the 0-3 month age range.

Over the years different products have emerged as my personal favorites, and I find myself making recommendations based on my own experiences. Every mom has her own personal list of must-have items, and I'm certain many moms would have lists that look very different from mine.

I think it's fun to compare favorites, and I love hearing from other moms what they have had success with. Every baby is different and so is every mom.

I'd love to hear what your must-have baby items are!

Here are mine...

{1} Pack 'N Play - Our pack n' play has survived 6 years, 3 babies, and lots of overnight trips. The version we have has a changing table and diaper/wipes storage attached so it's perfect for setting up in our bedroom after baby arrives. Our babies typically stay in the pack 'n play for 3-4 months after birth just for convenience sake.

{2} Pre-fold Cloth Diapers (Used as Burp Cloths) - With all the drool and spit up that comes with newborn babies, having a good stock of burp cloths is a must. I've found white cloth diapers to be perfect for the job of cleaning mouth messes. With Ezra we stuck with white because they can easily be bleached to get rid of stains.

{3} aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets - These swaddling blankets are very lightweight, a great size for swaddling, and super soft. Aside from some homemade swaddling blankets that I received from an Aunt, these are my go-to blankets for swaddling.

{4} Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child - This is by far the best book on infant sleep that I've read (and I've read plenty!). I've referenced this book with all three of my boys and have seen very similar sleeping problems/patterns emerge at different ages and stages. This book doesn't promise any magic solutions, but instead gives research-based information about how babies sleep and helps parents to ensure that they and their babies get the best sleep possible. The author also talks a lot about how to deal with high needs/fussy babies, which was/is extremely helpful to me personally.

{5} Gas Relief Drops -Speaking of high needs/fussy babies, my babies were all tortured with gas for the first few months of their lives. Gas drops are not the ultimate problem solver, but they do help to break up the bubbles that can form from gasping for air while crying or from inhaling too much air when feeding. I used gas drops LIBERALLY with all of my babies to bring relief to their sensitive little bellies.

{6} Hava Baby Sling - Babywearing is all the rage these days. While I'm not a fanatic about it, I do find it extremely helpful to wear my babies in public for the first few months-- not only because it's comforting for them, but also to keep them from exposure to too many germs that may cause sickness. I've tried different types of carriers, but I've always come back to my Hava ring sling. It's lightweight, easy to put on, and keeps baby as snug as a bug in a rug. It also has a super thick shoulder pad, which makes it way more comfortable than other ring slings I've tried.

{7} Zip Up Sleepers - Who wants to fumble around with snaps and buttons in the middle of the night, right?! Zippers are definitely the way to go! We had a variety of different sleepers with our other boys, but Kevin insisted that Ezra strictly wear zipper sleepers at bedtime if he was going to take any part in nighttime duties. So, of course, I stocked up, and unless we have a laundry crisis you'll mostly find Ezra in a zipper sleeper at bedtime,

What are your favorites for newborns age 0-3 months? What would I find on your list?

Four Months Postpartum {My Battle with Postpartum Anxiety}

2015-04-27T20:56:00.000-05:00

In just five short days Ezra will be four months old. When I say those words out loud it seems like a very short period of time, but living out these past four months has felt a lot longer. I've wanted to update about my own postpartum recovery for some time now, but I haven't felt like I was in a place to process things fully until now.

Looking back on my postpartum recoveries for all three of my babies, I can see some definite patterns, and in many ways it's very comforting to me because it normalizes things a bit. A little over six year ago after Silas' birth things were very confusing, and I was ridden with guilt about the way I felt and my inability to care for my baby the way I thought a "good mom" should care for her baby.

Now, three babies in, I am finally finding peace with my postpartum self and with the high needs babies that the Lord, in His sovereignty, has blessed me with.

Up until the day Ezra was born, the idealist inside of me was determined that this time my postpartum recovery would be different. I was ready to bounce back to normal life quickly and to drag Ezra along for the ride whether he liked it or not.

It's so funny how as soon as the baby arrives and hormone levels shift, everything changes...

I hadn't even heard of postpartum anxiety until speaking with a Christian counselor after Silas' birth. Postpartum depression I had heard of. Postpartum anxiety, not so much. The counselor confirmed that my symptoms looked very little like depression and a whole lot like anxiety. He assured me that it was postpartum related, and that things would soon get back to normal {and they eventually did}. He also encouraged a healthy diet of Biblical truth and a good support system, both of which have gotten me through three bouts of postpartum anxiety.

My battle with postpartum anxiety has varied with each baby, but the classic symptoms have reared their ugly heads all three times and have eaten up all of my well-laid plans before I even knew what hit me.

Increased heart rate

Shortness of breath

Muscle tension

Difficulty sleeping

Constantly imagining the worst -case scenarios (dropping the baby, etc.)

Unable to concentrate and focus

Forgetfulness

Dizziness

Inability to complete simple, everyday tasks

No matter what I do to snap myself out of it, I can't. My body responds physically and emotionally to the hormonal and life changes in ways that are for the most part out of my control.

And although many would never know my struggles from looking at me from the outside, the postpartum period is truly a very difficult time for me. The worst of it lasts for a good three months, but there are lingering effects well into the baby's first year.

I have often wondered whether the fact that all of my babies have been fussy and suffered from varying degrees of milk protein allergies has played a major part in my postpartum anxiety. I have also wondered if my idealistic personality plays a role. My conclusion is that that my high needs babies have definitely contributed to the way I feel, and maybe? my personality puts me at a higher risk for postpartum anxiety. But I really believe that my body responds in a certain way to the inward and outward changes that occur after giving birth, and there is really nothing I can do to change the symptoms of postpartum anxiety from creeping in.

Now as a Christian, I am left to wrestle with another issue-- is my postpartum anxiety displeasing to God? Am I in sin for feeling this way when the Bible is clear that we should not be anxious about anything?

I am fully convinced that my postpartum anxiety is a spiritual battle, as are all the trials of our lives {we wrestle not against flesh and blood}. And I am also convinced that my postpartum anxiety can indeed become sin if I let it control me instead of disciplining myself to place all of the negative thoughts and worries at the foot of the cross, submitting each one to God and looking to Him for strength in each moment.

Does that mean the negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety will miraculously cease to exist? No. But when I cease to take every thought captive and when I cease to pray in times of anxiety and when I try to face the trial in my own strength, I begin to take up residence in those dark and deadly places. And that's not where I was meant to live.

In a very practical sense, there are also several other things that have been critical to my postpartum recovery...

(1) receiving help when it is offered (examples: My mom offered to come once a week to watch the boys so that I could run errands. I said, "Yes." A sweet friend from church offered to clean my house a few times. I said, "Yes." My amazing husband offered to take the night shift a couple of times a week so that I could catch up on sleep. I said, "Yes.")

(2) being OK with "survival mode" for a while (examples: we eat out of the freezer section of the grocery store, clean laundry is thrown into a pile on the floor and may never get folded and put away, homeschooling is reduced to reading books together, etc.)

(3) limiting our outings to the ones that are absolutely necessary (church, doctor's appointments, etc.)

(4) limiting company in our home

(5) resting as much as possible

(6) reminding myself that this season is very short and trying my best to enjoy each moment instead of trying to control each moment

At this point the fog is mostly lifted, and I am beginning to feel more and more like myself again. I anticipate that I will still have struggles well into Ezra's first year, but I know that God is good and that His grace is sufficient. I see His sanctifying work in me through the trials of this life, and it brings great peace even in the midst of postpartum anxiety.

Have you suffered with postpartum anxiety? What are the things that get you through this trial?

Ezra Paul: The Birth Story

2015-01-16T17:07:00.000-06:00

On the morning of January 2, 2015, we proudly welcomed our third son, Ezra Paul, into the world.

8 lbs. 12 oz.

20 inches long

I can hardly believe it's only been 2 weeks since our newest little guy made his appearance. Anyone who has experience with a newborn knows that 2 weeks can feel like an eternity when you're living in the land of eat-sleep (maybe)-poop-cry-repeat. This being my third time experiencing the newborn twilight zone, I knew what to expect and, for the most part, I have taken each day in stride with the help of my amazing husband and extended family.

So before my brain goes to complete mush and I forget everything that has transpired over the past couple of weeks, I want to document the events surrounding Ezra's birth. Because during my pregnancy with Ezra I told people that I was three centimeters dilated when I went into the hospital with Liam, but I was actually only one... and they almost sent me home (read Liam's birth story here). How could I forget that? Well, because it all becomes a blur after a few years. That's why I write.

So here we go...

The Birth Story

As you can imagine, when December 30th rolled around and baby boy was still chilling in my belly, I began believing the lie that he was just going to take up residence in there forever. Because the mind starts playing tricks on you when you get to your due date with no signs of a baby coming. And, y'all, my body was done. D.O.N.E. I wasn't sleeping at night, I was extremely swollen, and I was just overall achy and exhausted.

My bags had been packed and in the car for several days, and I had been keeping the house as clean and newborn-ready as possible. So when we decided to head to my parent's house on New Year's Eve, I did so without hesitation. I needed a change of scenery, but mostly I needed to take my mind off of the fact that I hadn't had a baby yet! So off we went...

The good thing about being with grandparents is that we had plenty of extra help with the big boys so that I could sit and put my feet up. And that I did. I brought in the New Year in bed listening to the fireworks outside my window.

New Year's Day I woke up to discover that I was losing my mucus plug. It was the first sign of the day that maybe Ezra would indeed come out after all. All throughout New Year's day I could feel subtle changes in my body. By the end of the day, through teary eyes, I told my mom that I really felt like labor was close at hand. I hadn't had a contraction yet, but I could just feel it coming. We were packing up our bags to head home when my mom suggested that I leave the boys with her for the night just in case. I was hesitant, but Kevin and I decided it was probably best so that at least I could get some rest.

About 20 minutes into our ride home I had my first contraction. I wasn't sure if it was the real deal, but I decided to start timing anyway. Well, it turns out it WAS the real deal. By the time we got home my contractions were averaging 7 minutes apart and getting stronger. We stayed home for about 30 minutes, enough time for me to call the hospital (and my mom) and for Kevin to throw a few things into an overnight bag. And off we went.

We arrived at the hospital close to midnight. We got checked in, and I got wheeled to a room. A nurse came in to check me, and much to my surprise, I was already 6 centimeters dilated. 30 minutes later I had progressed to an 8/9 (two nurses with two different opinions). I was in P.A.I.N. and things were moving very quickly. Everything except the epidural! The nurses were beginning to hint that it may be too late to get the epidural. That's about the time they wheeled in the medical supply cart and a baby bassinet. And that's when I panicked!! I recall saying something like, "Am I gonna have a baby right now?!?!" And then started chanting, "I can't do this! I can't do this!" Kevin and my mom immediately went into cheerleader mode and began assuring me that I could. But I really didn't want to find out!! So I made one final plea to the nurses, and they agreed to call the anesthesiologist.

Twenty minutes later they checked me again, and I was the same. The anesthesiologist arrived shortly after, and he said if I could sit still long enough he would give me a good dose of pain relief. I assured him that I could, and within minutes I was pain-free with no regrets! {I know all of the all-natural Mama's out there are probably cringing right about now, but, seriously, I have NO regrets! haha}

Of course, the epidural slowed down my labor quite a bit, but the good news is that I was able to rest during the early morning hours. Unlike my epidurals with Silas and Liam, this one actually worked! So things were pretty uneventful for a few hours.

When the doctor made her rounds the next morning my water still hadn't broken, so she broke it to get things moving. She also gave me some pitocin to help strengthen contractions. Not long after, I began feeling the pressure and urge to push. The nurses set me up for delivery, and 2 pushes later, the most beautiful cry filled the room. Ezra Paul made his grand entrance.

And I was in love all over again.

More on my recovery and our family's adjustment to come...

Baby Boy #3 Week 27 Pregnancy Update

2014-09-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

My 26 week belly! It doesn't look as big in the laying down position- hehe :)

13 weeks and counting until baby boy's due date! It seems like just yesterday I was celebrating 13 weeks of pregnancy, and now I'm rejoicing at 13 weeks left! Each stage has had it's challenges, but overall it's been a pleasant journey this go round.

I guess I should mention that baby boy does have a name. A couple of months ago we decided on the name Ezra Paul. We had bounced around several names, but Ezra is the one that stuck. It seemed to go well with the names Silas and Liam, and we loved the meaning: "helper." Although I do hope that Ezra becomes a great helper as he grows and matures, I feel like the name fits this pregnancy in that God has been my helper along this journey.

Symptoms: I can still say that I've only thrown up twice this pregnancy! And both were much earlier on in the pregnancy. There has been no nausea to speak of lately, and since starting Nexium I've avoided heartburn. Other things I've noticed: my appetite has gone down some, I get winded really fast, and my feet are beginning to swell. Also, last week I was extremely hormonal. I had a few ~~random~~ unreasonable crying episodes, which my husband very patiently endured. Things are much better this week, thank God!

Movement: Aaahh, movement. I love feeling Ezra move around inside of me. I feel like it's a gift I get to open every day. When we were considering whether or not to have another child, the one thing that I couldn't bear to think about was never feeling a baby move inside of me again. When I found out I was pregnant I told myself to enjoy every kick and every movement, even the ones at 2am and even the ones that cause my bladder to run at inopportune times!

I should mention here that at 20 weeks Ezra was breech, and we (my doctor and I) have good reason to believe that he still is at this point. As you can imagine, the breech position makes for some very interesting and often uncomfortable aches and pains for mom. I'm praying that he figures things out soon!

Also in movement news, Silas felt Ezra move about a week ago! It was the sweetest moment! Silas' eyes got really wide when he felt the kick, and immediately a huge smile lit up his face. Hearing Silas retell the story makes me laugh. Liam hasn't yet been patient enough to feel Ezra move, but I'm sure in the coming weeks he'll be able to feel him without having to wait so long.

Maternity Clothes: All of my pants/shorts are maternity, but I'm still able to get away with wearing some of my bigger t-shirts and Kevin's t-shirts. If I need to dress a little less casual, I wear my maternity shirts. Also, since the day I found out I was pregnant I've been wearing non-maternity maxi dresses to church every Sunday. I had a couple, and I bought a couple that I rotate every week. This past week I noticed that the maxi dress I had on was a tad bit tighter around my belly, so I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to pull that trick off. I may need to trade in my maxi's for maternity dress pants soon.

Cravings: Nothing really.

Aversions: I can eat cheese crackers again! Haha :) There's really nothing I'm averse to eating. I think I just have an aversion to cooking in general right now! I try to have cooking marathons every now and then so I don't have to be in the kitchen every evening. I'll make 2 or 3 meals at a time to fill the fridge and freezer for the week.

Sleep: My sleep has been pretty good so far. I'm usually really tired by the end of the day, which helps. Nightly bathroom trips have stayed to a minimum, and Ezra's movement doesn't seem to keep me up once I've fallen asleep. I have found that I need the room to be a little cooler than usual lately, and just last night I needed an extra pillow to help ease the aches in my hips. I know sleep will become less and less as I near the end, but so far nothing to complain about!

Nesting: I finally moved all of the office furniture out of the office in order to make room for Ezra's crib and changing table. I still need a small dresser for his room, which I hope to find used. I snatched a used rock 'n play sleeper a couple of weeks ago, which I've heard great things about. Other things I've purchased recently are: a sling, reusable nursing pads, nursing tanks, and a diaper bag. I feel pretty good about the progress I've made so far, but we still have several things to check off the list. My next order of business is tackling the clothes!

Looking forward to: Delivery! haha :) But in the meantime, I'm REALLY looking forward to the birth of my first nephew!! He's due at the beginning of October. I can't wait to meet him and experience the joy I know he will bring to our family!

Smothered Pork Chops & Cabbage

2014-09-29T17:25:00.002-05:00

Once a meal is served regularly in our home and enjoyed by at least three family members, I deem it blog-worthy. This dish of smothered pork chops and cabbage definitely makes the cut. And even though I have a non-cabbage lover in the family, the non-cabbage lover still tolerates the pork chop minus the cabbage plus a little fruit on the side :) The rest of us enjoy the chops and cabbage over rice, but the rice can easily be omitted for a low-carb option. I hope you give this a try and enjoy it as much as we do!

Smothered Pork Chops & Cabbage

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Pork Loin Chops
1 medium onion
1 medium head of cabbage
2 Tablespoons parsley

15 ounces beef broth
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 cups hot cooked rice
salt
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

Instructions:

Chop cabbage and onion and set aside. Coat a large pot with non-stick spray and set to medium heat. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning (or your regular seasoning of choice). Place a single layer of pork chops into the pot and brown on one side, waiting to flip until pork chops stick slightly to the pot. Flip chops and brown the other side the same way. Remove chops and place into a bowl with a lid to keep warm. Repeat browning process with additional pork chops. Once all the pork chops are removed from the pot, pour beef broth and apple cider vinegar into the pot and scrape the bottom to pick up all the flavor from the pork chops. Add chopped cabbage, chopped onion, and parsley to pot. Layer all pork chops on top of the cabbage mixture. Cover the pot and let the pork chops and cabbage smother over medium low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. When the cabbage is wilted and the pork chops are cooked through and tender, turn off the heat. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve pork chop with cabbage on top or serve pork chop and cabbage over rice. Enjoy!

Vacation Highlights

2014-08-15T17:57:00.001-05:00

"Next year when we come back..."

The conversation in the car on the way home from our family vacation was filled with hopes of returning next year.

It made my heart glad to hear our boys talk about how much fun they had spending time together-- just our little family of ~~four~~ five.

Here are a few shots from our trip...

Free splash pad at one of the surf shops in Orange Beach!

Of course we must ninja chop everything, including water.

Mama and Liam chilling in the sand.

Silas learned how to "catch a wave" on his board this year.

Liam made me so much sand gumbo I didn't know what to do with myself.

Our Vacation as seen on Instagram

Baby Boy #3 Week 19 Pregnancy Update

2014-08-08T15:06:00.000-05:00

I know I'll probably look back on my blog and wish I would have updated more about this third pregnancy, but time has been slipping away. I've never kept a formal handwritten journal of any my pregnancies, so the blog has served as my record of all the weekly happening of growing my babies. It's been really fun to look back and compare pregnancies.

So far baby boy #3 has taken it really easy on his Mama as far a morning sickness goes. I'd like to think it's because he knows that his brothers need me to be as energetic as possible, but I'm positive it's because I'm still on meds into my 19th week of pregnancy. I don't plan on trying to wean myself until at least 20 weeks. We'll see how that goes.

A couple of weeks ago I started having really bad heartburn, and Pepcid wasn't cutting it. I was waking up in the middle of the night feeling like my chest was on fire. I started Nexium soon after, and the heartburn went away. Unfortunately, the Nexium caused me to have lots of indigestion, so I'm taking a break from the meds to see if things have calmed down any. So far it's been two days off of the Nexium, and I've been feeling good without it. We shall see.

This pregnancy game is a tricky one, y'all.

In other news, at 16 weeks I had an ultrasound that revealed that BC#3 is indeed another BOY! I had a hunch that I was carrying another son, but most people swore it was a girl because of the lack of nausea and early spreading of the hips. It turns out that those old wives tales don't mean much.. Haha. If I were to be completely honest, there were moments before finding out the gender that I really, really wanted a little girl, but there were also moments that I saw the beauty in raising another son. I reminded myself often that my children were chosen for me long before I even considered them and was comforted in knowing that the Lord is the one building this family- not me. Since finding out we're expecting another boy, I've been filled with excitement thinking of all the possible ways God may use these Celestin boys of ours. It's a bit overwhelming at times, but I know that God will equip Kevin and I for the great work at hand. Now if I can only survive a few really, really **LOUD ** and muddy years! Haha!

And now for the lightening round:

Movement: As of week 19, I've been feeling lots of movement! Before now it was questionable, but now there's no denying that there's an active little boy floating around in my womb.

Maternity Clothes: My pants are all maternity, but I refuse to let go of all my t-shirts just yet. I keep reminding myself that if I stretch them out too much I won't be able to wear them post baby, but they're just so comfortable!

Cravings: Nothing out of the ordinary.

Aversions: None to speak of.

Sleep: The nausea meds I'm taking every night help with that. There have been one or two nights when I woke up to potty and couldn't go back to sleep, but I'm not blaming the pregnancy yet. And my belly isn't big enough to cause any discomfort.

Nesting: Our summer has been so busy that I haven't really done anything significant.

Looking forward to: (1) Kevin and the boys being able to feel the baby's movements on the outside of my belly! (2) Our anatomy scan next week.

Until next time,

Summer Highlights

2014-08-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

I had predicted that this summer would be pretty uneventful, considering the circumstances. I figured the pregnancy would have me down and out for most of the summer months, but praise God, I've been feeling good and we've enjoyed lots of fun adventures together as a family.

A few of the highlights include...

A couple of trips to the bowling alley...

#kidsbowlfree

A trip to Bogue Chitto State Park with friends...

Liam enjoying the splash pad at Bogue Chitto State Park

Finding out we have another son on the way! (more on this topic to come!)

A celebration of eight wonderful years as a family...

Eight years ago on our honeymoon in St. Lucia

An overnight stay in Grand Isle with friends...

And I can't forget the greatest adventure of all-- the END of potty training with Liam! And let me tell you, it was QUITE an adventure! Haha!

As I scroll through pictures, I feel very grateful to have been able to enjoy so many big and little moments together as a family this summer.

Father-Son conversations over dinner

As August revs it's engine, we're preparing for another year of homeschooling, lots of holiday fun ahead, and the welcoming of another baby boy into our family come late December. I'm certain that there will be many more adventures to come before the year is up!

What were the highlights of your summer?

BC #3 Week 12 Pregnancy Update

2014-06-23T20:25:00.000-05:00

To commemorate this last day of the 12th week of my third pregnancy (aka the last day of my first trimester.. eek!), I figured an update was in order!

Let's start out with a couple of pics since those are always fun...

12 weeks worth of baby... and french fries... and cookies... #realtalk

And on the inside of that belly...

the cutest baby legs I've ever seen... #ofcourse

So, I last left you on week 8.. exhausted. I can't say that has changed much YET, but I have high hopes of more energy as I round the corner into the second trimester.

So let's break things down...

How Far Along: 12 weeks 6 days

Symptoms: As aforementioned.. exhausted. Also, last we chatted I hadn't yet had any encounters with the toilet. Well, that changed approximately one week and one day ago. Don't worry, it was only one episode. Basically: Father's Day crawfish boil + a latenight car ride home + not taking my medicine on time = it was bound to happen. When we finally got home that night I ran from the car to the medicine cabinet and tried to down the pill to relieve the nausea, but instead I gagged on the pill and, well... the rest is history. Silas was in hysterics because he thought there was a virus in the house and that he'd be next to catch it. I finally calmed him down and assured him it was only his little baby brother or sister saying "hello, I'm still here!" Thankfully, it hasn't happened again. I've since upped my dose of medicine, knowing that weeks 11-14 are usually the worst for me.

Cravings: The chip craving is gone! Hallelujah! And many of my other cravings have slowly faded away as well. I'm grateful to be back to a semi-normal diet, including my morning cup of coffee. The little extra boost in the morning certainly helps with the exhaustion. I do have to keep something in my stomach to keep from feeling sick, so I do still snack a lot. But one thing that I have been snacking on is fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Although we don't have our own garden this year, we've gotten plenty of fresh vegetables from friends and neighbors, so I'm taking full advantage of the opportunity to indulge in fresh produce.

But of course, the boys and I still frequent our local snowball stand way too often...

Blackberry with condensed milk

Aversions: I still can't eat a cheese nips, thanks to overindulging on them early on. I did clean out my pantry and rid it of the strange smell (I think I've narrowed it down to the onions), which makes my life a lot easier.

Nesting: Two weeks ago I filled about 7-8 garbage bags of stuff and donated them to our local thrift store...

Decluttering feels awesome...

This week I tackled another closet and came out with one full garbage bag of trash and one full bag of items to donate. I call that progress! Where does all this junk come from?!

Highlight: Because it took me so long to get in at my new doctor's office, I didn't have my first ultrasound until 11 weeks. Although it was a long wait, it turned out to be such a blessing to be able to see all the little body parts wiggling around in my belly. And when I say wiggling, I mean BC#3 was breaking. it. down. in there. The doctor even started singing, "wave your hands in the air" at some point! It was amazing to see. I thought I would be able to hold it together since this is my third rodeo, but nope, I cried like it was the first time I'd ever seen a little life inside of me and heard the glorious sound of that little beating heart (163 bpm, by the way). That's the stuff in life that truly never. gets. old. Kevin and the boys were able to be in the room with me, which made it all the more special. After seeing the ultrasound Silas commented that he finally believes that there's really a baby in my belly. Having a child old enough to understand what's going on this time around is also something very special to experience.

Until next time,

What's in Your Beach Bag?

2014-06-03T20:37:00.001-05:00

This year's beach trip was the first trip in the last five years that I didn't have a "baby" along for the ride. On the way home from Destin Kevin and I talked about how much easier it was to travel with kids that don't require strict nap or feeding schedules. And although we're still working through potty training with Liam, he is (for the most part) trained for daytime. So we didn't have to worry about swim diapers or baby food or the grouchiness that comes as a result of a missed nap. It was quite freeing, to be honest. I realize that next year will be quite different as we welcome a new baby into our family, but it was nice to get a glimpse of how things might look for our family in a few years.

This year we vacationed with a 5 and 3-year old. As I packed our beach bag each day I realized how "no-brainer" the packing had become. And not only did it not require much thought, but there were also no critical items that I had to plan for (i.e. formula, diapers, etc.). However, our hotel was far enough away that I had no intention of walking back and forth for forgotten items, so I wanted to be as prepared as possible.

Enter the simplified "Beach Bag Packing List"...

click here for a printable copy

Anyone who knows me knows I have an affinity for list-making. I err on the side of being over-prepared as opposed to under-prepared, and making lists always sets my mind at ease.

So here's a little running commentary of our simplified beach bag packing list this year, including things I learned along the way...

Beach Towels: I brought one for each of us every day, but we never used all four. I think I could have saved a little room and gotten away with just packing two. We mainly used the towels for wiping eyes and as a barrier from the sand. At the end of the day we all wiped off some before walking back to the hotel, but that didn't require four towels.

Sun Screen: I prefer a spray on sun screen that can be applied to wet or dry skin. It makes application easy even with squirmy kids.

Sunglasses: The glare on the beach is often blinding, so this is a must-have for me. The kids each have a pair to, but we didn't bother bringing them to the beach because they would most likely have wound up somewhere out in the gulf.

Beach Umbrella:We never rent the beach chairs out on the beach, so a few years ago I invested in a small beach umbrella to stick in the sand. It was pretty cheap, actually. Last year it was a lifesaver when the boys were ready to get out of the sun but not quite ready to leave the beach. And wouldn't you know it... I forgot to take it with us this year!! Thankfully, another prepared family member brought hers, and it was nice to have. That prepared family member also brought beach chairs, which I don't usually bring along (I just sit on a towel), but the chairs were nice to have.

Zip Top Bag for Electronics: The only electronics that I brought with me to the beach were my phone and camera. I wanted to keep them as safe and dry as possible, so having a bag to protect them from wet clothes or spilled water was helpful.

Snacks: I learned a lot about beach snacks this year, which will guide my snack choices in the future. One day I threw a variety of snacks into my bag, including chocolate-y granola bars. Bad idea. Chocolate + Sun = one big melted mess. So I've since determined to make sure any snacks that accompany us to the beach are in no danger of melting. In fact, the best snack day was when I brought one big bag of corn chips with us. All the kids liked them, they traveled well, and there were no choices to make (i.e. no digging around).

Water Bottles: My sister-in-law taught me a little trick this year as far as drinks go. She brought a couple of big bottles of frozen Gatorade with us to the beach one day. This was a brilliant idea for several reasons. Not only did the drinks stay cold, but they defrosted slowly, which meant they lasted longer. There was also less danger of spilling. Score! Don't get me wrong, I'm all about staying as hydrated as possible, but I'm also all about practicality. Frozen drinks, y'all!

Life Jackets: This is a MUST with young kids. We use Stearns Puddle Jumpers, which have proven very trustworthy over the years. They are extremely durable and comfortable enough that the boys don't complain about wearing them.

Goggles: Because Liam absolutely cannot survive the beach or pool without having goggles glued to his forehead. I didn't have to worry about losing the goggles because there was no way Liam was taking them off.

Buckets & Shovels: Because you can't go to the beach without building a sandcastle! I had a pail and shovel for each child, plus a couple of other small containers to add a little more creativity to the building efforts. Liam spent most of his time on the beach playing with his bucket, which made tagging them along well worth the effort.

So, I absolutely NEED to know...

What's in your beach bag?? Are there any tricks or tips that you have for beach vacationing with kids (and babies)? Help us all out by sharing your best tips!!

BC#3 Week 8 Pregnancy Update

2014-05-25T16:04:00.000-05:00

How Far Along: 8 Weeks 5 Days

Symptoms: I'll let this picture do all the explaining...

Exhaustion. But I'll take fatigue any day over nausea. I still haven't had a face-to-face encounter with the toilet, which I'm grateful for every. single. day. I've had a few lingering waves of nausea here and there, but those moments are easily manageable and nothing compared to what I was used to dealing with during my previous pregnancies.

Soooooo, lack of nausea means more of an appetite to deal with. And frequent snacking seems to relieve a queasy stomach. Factor in that I'm already having round ligament pain and sore hips (hello, third pregnancy), and we have quite the equation. Let's do the math: Bigger Appetite + Frequent Snacking (not always healthy) + Early Uterus Growth = Tighter Pants. And it all kinda caught up to me this week. It was a little alarming since I'm used to losing weight in the first trimester. The steady weight gain has definitely been different experience. Thankfully, my Facebook mommy friends assured me that all this belly popping is perfectly normal, especially for a third pregnancy. So until I can get my hands on a Bella band, I'm rigging my pants with rubber bands. I did pull down my box of maternity clothes from the attic this week, but most of my stuff is winter wear, so I'll be shopping for summer maternity clothes very soon.

Cravings: Pictures. They explain it all.

One word words: Chips.

I'm balancing out the chip craving with something a little healthier... my favorite summer refresher: the Pretty-in-Pink Slushie Drink. It contains watermelon, which I can't seem to get enough of these days.

I've also had more of a sweet tooth this time around. Cake. Bring it on. Cookies. I'll take Oreo.

Aversions: Coffee is still mostly an aversion. Also, Cheese Nips. Strange, but true. And I can't stand the smell of my pantry. It's the weirdest thing. I keep wanting to clean it out and wipe down all the shelves with good-smelling cleaning spray to see if that helps, but I just haven't had the energy yet.

Nesting: I'm on a mission to declutter our house. I've already donated several boxes of stuff to our church's garage giveaway and plan to continue. But let's be real, if I have the energy to load the dishwasher everyday I'm doing well.

Last Week's Highlight: We wrapped up another year of AWANA at FBC Lockport. I've been blessed to work with the Cubbies (pre-k3 through pre-k4) for the past couple of years, Silas included. Silas successfully completed the Cubbie Scripture memory program this Spring and will be moving up to Sparks in the Fall. Liam (mommy's sidekick) will "officially" be entering the Cubbie program in the Fall. I say "officially" because although he wasn't old enough to be a registered Cubbie he was always with me in class and participated in nearly everything the Cubbies did. I appreciate of all the Cubbie helpers, including Mrs. Aleshia who worked closely with Silas and always included Liam even though he wasn't an "official" Cubbie. We're looking forward to starting up again in the Fall.

Liam, Mikey (Mrs. Aleshia's son), Mrs. Aleshia, and Silas. Silas & Mikey showing off their trophies and ribbons. Both boys will be moving up to Sparks in the Fall.

Previous Pregnancies:

Silas 8 Weeks

Liam 8 Weeks

BC#3 Week 7 Pregnancy Update

2014-05-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

How Far Along: 7+ Weeks

Symptoms: So far the nausea has been minimal, and I haven't thrown up at all. When my stomach starts feeling uneasy, usually putting some food in it will settle it-- of course, it has to be the right food, namely anything I'm craving at the time. God has been so good to me, and I am so grateful for all the prayers that have been going up on my behalf! I also believe that the unisom + B6 combo has helped significantly. After doing some research, I started the combo even before I found out I was pregnant, and haven't skipped a dose since. I take 1/2 Unisom Sleep Tab (doxylamine) + 50 mgs. of B6 every night, along with my prenatal vitamin and a calcium/magnesium supplement. I've since discovered that the unisom + B6 combo is now prescribed in a pill call Diclegis, which my gynecologist prescribed. That being said, although I feel comfortable taking this combo, each woman needs to make her own informed decision (with the help of her doctor!) about what medications/supplements to take during pregnancy.
I've also been using essential oils (peppermint or lavender) to soothe me when I start feeling queasy (usually in the evening). And, of course, my best friends are my sea bands, which I've worn a few times to help ease a little waves of nausea here and there. They may not be the best fashion statement, but they sure do help!

This pregnant woman's best friend- Sea Bands!

Other random things I keep on hand to calm my queasy stomach are peppermints, minty gum, and Jolly Ranchers.

In other symptom news, I've been really tired, especially in the early afternoons and then again in the early evenings. In the afternoons I try to sit with the boys and watch a movie just to rest, and in the evenings Kevin had been handling the evening routine with the boys so that I can head to bed early. This has been a huge blessing for me, allowing me to get lots of much-needed rest. Another symptom that I'm experiencing earlier this time around has been round ligament pain, especially when I sneeze or cough. I guess my uterus knows the drill and is getting to work right away.

Cravings: Sadly, I can pretty much eat french fries or chips any time of day - ha! I drove through McDonald's late last week just for french fries because that's the only thing that seemed appealing! On a healthier note, I've also been craving fresh fruit like watermelon and apples. So far I've been able to drink lots water, which I hope continues because at some point during my pregnancies with Silas and Liam I couldn't drink water without throwing up.


I successfully ate a whole watermelon by myself within a week's time.

Aversions: I've definitely had more aversions than cravings so far. One day I ate lots of cheese crackers, and the next I couldn't even look at the box without cringing. One morning I had eggs, and the next morning the only thing I could tolerate was dry Kashi whole grain flakes! Even coffee has been hit or miss, which is strange for this three-cup-a-day girl. It's so interesting to me how much a woman's taste buds are affected by hormones!

Headed out the door with my box of Kashi cereal

Nesting: I haven't really done much yet, but my wheels are turning as to what need to be done to accommodate a new little one in our home. My biggest goal is to convert my office space (aka woman cave) into a nursery, which means moving lots of things around and getting rid of lots of things. Our church is having a garage giveaway this Fall, so that has been motivating me to start decluttering around here.

Last Week's Highlight: Silas' closing ceremony for Classical Conversations! Silas' tutor game each student a character trait that they had displayed throughout the year, and Silas' trait was "eagerness." I am so proud of my eager beaver and all his hard work this year. Homeschooling will look a little different for us next year with a new baby on board, which I'll be sharing more about later on. For now, we're just happy to enjoy our summer months!

And just in case you're interested...

Previous Pregnancies:

Week 7 Silas

Week 7 Liam

Thankful Thursday: Special Edition

2014-05-15T14:36:00.002-05:00

For those who know my history of morning sickness, it may come as no surprise that at one time I felt strongly that Liam was going to be our last Celestin baby. Although Kevin and I had always envisioned ourselves with at least three kiddos, I just didn't think my body could handle another round of extreme morning sickness (hyperemesis). As Liam’s milestones passed, I kept waiting for “baby fever,” but it never came.

Several months ago, as I was studying the book of Philippians, I began to feel nudged to pray about adding another child to our family. I told Kevin about it, and he agreed to pray with me. Kevin has always been very open to having more children, but has left the bulk of that decision to me, as I am the one whose body has to endure the aches and pains of pregnancy. Kevin had also just started pursuing his Doctor of Ministry degree, which prompted us to pray all the more about a third pregnancy. And, of course, there’s also the fact that we already have two active boys to chase after these days!

After a couple of weeks of praying, Kevin and I talked about it again. We both felt that we were being asked to trust God and move forward with adding another family member. Honestly, it was a huge relief for me. Paul’s words in Philippians 4 kept popping into my mind as I wrestled with the decision. I felt like I was being pushed to a new level of trust in the Lord. I never heard the Lord promise to take away the extreme morning sickness, the painful delivery, or the exhausting newborn stage. I never got a word from Him that round three would be easier than the first two. But what I did hear was that no matter what the circumstance, He was asking me to “practice these thing” (Philippians 4:9). The peace of God doesn't come in the knowing, it comes in the practicing. It comes in the rejoicing always (Philippians 4:4), the gentle spirit (Philippians 4:5), the swapping of anxiety for gratefulness (Philippians 4:6), the attitude of prayer (Philippians 4:6), the mind set on things above (Philippians 4:8). There may not be a prescription for to remove my physical pain, but there is a prescription to sustain my inner peace as evidenced from Philippians 4.

So, of course, we got right to work.

A few months later, on April 20^th(Easter Sunday!), the second line appeared on the stick.

BABY CELESTIN #3 IS INDEED ON THE WAY!!

The Monday after Easter I took a second pregnancy test, and the second test confirmed the first. A few days later I took a third, and nothing had changed. More signs and symptoms continued to confirm that presence of new life in my womb as the days went on.

Kevin and I are overjoyed to say the least. I am a little over 7 weeks in, but we’re choosing to tell early just like we did with Silas and Liam. Regardless of God’s plans for this new baby, we feel urged to celebrate life even in this critical, early stage. That being said, we’re asking for prayer for both baby and Mama as we move on into some pretty intense fetal development and morning sickness!

So far life has gone on as normal. The morning sickness has been minimal, which I am very grateful for. I'll be updating tomorrow with more details about I've been feeling.

We let family in on the big news for Liam’s third birthday party the weekend after Easter. Everyone was just as excited as we were. Silas was especially excited. He's been praying for another brother or sister for quite some time. His reaction was, "Wait! Is this for real?! You mean in real life you're having a baby?!? I'm freaking out right now!!!" Haha! He's since began announcing it to everyone he sees, which means church family and friends are slowly catching wind of our news. Of course, we're totally fine with that. We're horrible at keeping secrets in this family anyway!

I had my first visit with the doctor this morning, and things seem to be progressing. If my calculations are correct, we should be holding BC#3 at the very tail end of December!

If you're interested, read what I was up to during my 6th week of pregnancy with Silas and with Liam. I loved blogging through both previous pregnancies, so my plans are to follow suit with BC#3.

Feeling Blessed,